Flashback Fridays: David Williams wins $25k WPT Main Event

Written by Tony Elliott | Published March 1, 2024

Flashback Fridays: David Williams Wins Gold In Vegas

It is nearly twenty years ago that a fresh-faced David Williams Had an incredible run in Vegas. His first WSOP cash was a second place in the 35th World Series of Poker $10,000 main event no less. He narrowly missed out on the coveted main event Bracelet to Greg Raymer.

Let’s take a look at a couple of key Hands from the $25,000 + 500 No Limit Hold’em – Championship Event at the Bellagio from season 8 of the WPT in the year 2010. David went on to lift the silverware and the $1,530,537 top prize.

Eric Tries to Represent The Hand David had

With five players remaining and the blinds at 50k/100k, Eric Baldwin was first to act after a couple of folds. He raised it up to 240k with J8. Next to act, Williams played his AK in a controlled manner and just flatted. The blinds got out of the way and the pair went to the flop with 680k in the middle.

the flop came down 232 which was a very good board for Eric to c-bet on, David was unlikely to have picked up much. First to act Eric led out with a bet of 375k. Williams of course was a lot stronger than he’d usually be in this spot and made the call. To the turn they went with over a million chips in the pot.

On the turn 5 David had now picked up a gut-shot to go with his Ace-King high. This time the action went check-check.

The river K was a perfect card for Eric, a King was for sure in his raising range. Unbeknownst to him though, Williams had the hand he was trying to represent. the bet was a large one from Eric, 740k, which was immediately snapped off by his opponent. The huge 2.9 million pot went to willaims. Eric Jokingly said to Willaims “that was what I was supposed to have”.

William Baxter Is a Non Believer

Once again David Williams was blessed with Ace-King AK, he raised it up to 300k from the button. Waiting in the big blind was William “Bill” Baxter who put out a further 120k to see the flop.

The flop came down K36 giving both players a King. In position, Williams bet out 350k into the 735k pot which was quickly called. the pot was now standing tall at 1.43 million going to the turn.

The turn was a card A that would have had Bill worried, however, David in position would be raising and representing several hands. Therefore Bill had to call again with his pair of Kings a large percentage of the time. After a bet of 500k and a call, the pot was 2.43 million with just the river to come.

Another Ace A landed on the river and now this was a really tough spot for Baxter, it made it less likely David had an ace of his own. Williams knowing the importance of this pot was savvy with his bet sizing, rather than going for the kill, he bet out 1 million. A bet sizing he knew his opponent had to call most possible hands with. Baxter did indeed make the call and another huge pot went in the direction of Williams.